Fisherman in Florida Keys hauls in 40-60 lb cocaine catch

A Florida fisherman wound up netting a package containing some 40 pounds of suspected cocaine on Saturday, according to authorities.

The angler had just returned from the waters in Islamorada in the Florida Keys when he spotted a huge bale that washed up under a dock on East Carroll Street that morning, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said on its Facebook page.

So he grabbed a gaff — a pole with a sharp hook on the end — and net to pull the 40- to 60-pound package onto shore.

After cutting open a corner of the plastic-wrapped parcel, the man realized it was full of white powder and called the US Coast Guard.

Authorities found the bale was comprised of 25 smaller bricks filled with what they suspected to be cocaine, which were also wrapped in clear plastic. The haul was turned over to federal officials.

The origin of the powder is under investigation, the sheriff’s office said.